Longtime Democrat megadonor John Morgan is throwing cold water on his own party’s dreams of a Gavin Newsom nomination in 2028. Morgan, who recently rebranded himself as an independent, warned that Newsom should not be the nominee unless he abandons his far-left image—and said an endorsement from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would be the “kiss of death” for his presidential hopes. Ouch.

Morgan, best known for promoting his law firm Morgan & Morgan, made the remarks Monday on NewsNation during Cuomo. He described Newsom as “far far left” and “far far woke,” saying he would have to move to the center just to be competitive in a national race. Translation: California politics don’t travel well.

And even if Newsom tried to reinvent himself, his record is waiting like a stack of unpaid bills. Homelessness surged after billions were spent to “fix” it. Crime rose after he backed radical district attorneys. Housing, insurance, electricity, and gas prices all climbed. His response to the Los Angeles wildfires is also likely to resurface in debates. If he somehow makes it through a primary, that résumé will be Exhibit A in the general election.

Swing states pose another problem. Winning places like Arizona and Nevada would be essential, but many former Californians who fled Newsom’s policies now live there—and it’s hard to imagine them lining up to vote for him. In states such as Pennsylvania, Democrats are more likely to rally behind figures like Josh Shapiro. Without Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, the road to the White House gets very narrow, very fast.

It’s still early in the 2028 cycle, but when a longtime Democratic megadonor is already waving the red flag, that’s not exactly a confidence booster. With dozens of Democrats expected to jump in, Newsom is looking at a long and rough primary season.

The bright side? Voters are paying attention earlier than ever—and that means records, not speeches, will matter most. And that’s always good news for accountability.